The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-02-07

arrived from Honuapo and Waiohinu.
Shortly after our arrival heavy rain
storm came on and we decided to
postpone our visit to the flow until the
following morning. During the night
the only fire that could be distinguished
was that issuing from the crack at the
summit of the mountain, a crust of cold
lava having formed over the flow and
the lava running beneath it. Thanks
to the hospitality and forethought of
Mr. Jones we passed a pleasant night,
and at daylight started for the flow Of
1887.
Crossing the flow of 1868 and fol
lowing the Government road for some
two miles, we arrived at the flow where
it crossed the above road. The lava,
or aa as is the native term for this par
ticular kind of flow, was, as near as
could be judged, between threeiquar-
tiers Of mile and a mile in width, and
about eight feet higher than the road
bed. No fire could be seen, but smoke
and heat we're issuing from the mass as
far as the eye could reach. Climbing
up the embankment we started across
the flow, but had not gone far when the
heat became so intense that we we're
forced to return to the road.
The flow as seen at the crossing Of
the Government road presented won
derful and desolate appearance. In
stead of looking like lava, it had the
appearance CT large Jumps Of dark, dry
clay, and when stepped on it crumbled
away under foot. To all appearance,
and in the opinion of old residents,
the molten lava was still flowing at
about six feet underneath the crust or
covering, and gradually shifting and
changing it about. The course the
flow has. taken from the source winds
around through the lower hills, branch
ing off in some places, making several
streams which eventually join the main
stream before it reaches the sea- Just
before it reaches the sea it branches of
making two streams, one falling on
each side of knoll In some places
the width of the flow averages from q
mile and half to two miles.
THE SOURCE OF THE FLOW, JAN. 80
The following description of the
flow, by Mr.. w. L. Rowell, will give
our readers a good idea of its magnif
cence. Mr.. Rowell assembled the
mountain to the source on January 20
and carefully studied its peculiar fea
lures and aspects, as will be seen in hi
description
"A lava flow of such large volume a
the present must change its features
SO rapidly that different observers re-
cording the views at different times wi
seem to make statements which serl
ously conflict. All can pretend t
give is the appearance Of the flow from
my points of view during one day
January "a. Leaving the Government
road a little west of the flow of o.
about A q. M, started on foot witt
the light at the source Of the flow for
guide, picking my way over the ancien
: flows, through the bush and koa tim
: Der, making as near a bee line as tn
ground would permit. Daylight foun'
me in the scrusby woods, which gro'
lower down than the more open koa
An hour later | reached ridge whic
overlooked the flow at an elevation c
1900 feet above the level of the sea
Il was here an open river, with well-de
: fined banks, running at the rate OF 81
Z or eight miles an hour, and the clea
width could not be less than $50 fec
!, and was probably 200 feet The vie'
of the river alone was enough to pa
i for the climb. A large rock stood /
: the middle of the stream and the mo
u ten fluid piled up against it, almost 6
ing over 1t at times, SO that 1t was IN
possible not to watch it for time
! see il carried away, 1t gave no sign
y of yielding, but it seemed to gro
. in size. The stream did not show tn
II smooth surface of a perfect fluid,
{ for instance that OF molten iron, Du
{ seemed filled with Jumps or grains, o.
: casionally carrying black blotches aloon
q on its surface, that the imaglnatio
n could convert into fragments OF a boz
. or carcases of animals. Going on, m
{ course took me away from the tioy
&c which made considerable bend to II
e west. At nine o'clock / reached tt
y upper limit of The koa forest and coul
s. see the fountain of lava boiling up b
M hind black walls OF fresh lava. III
&c ground for mile or two below Il
Oh Source of the flow, having less fall tina
P lower down, the lava had spread out
y far on each side that it was impossib
ie looking at it from one side to form al
rs we'll defined idea OF its full width al
~ shape. =,
Us oAt 10 O'Clock was abreast OF IL
,boiling mass, whence arose the den
OF volume of vapor which had been tt
g. beacon towards which | had be!
n steering In the midst Of such deso'
H. ton it was very hard to judge acc
10 rately of height and distance, but ma